Pesto is a simple and delicious dish. The fragrant basil, pungent cheese and garlic, rich macadamia nuts and olive oil go together like no other dish I know. Most recipes call for pine nuts which I used in the past, until I had an awful experience with Pine Mouth. Just thinking about it makes my stomach turn. It’s something that can’t be easily forgotten. I suffered for two weeks and could not figure out why suddenly everything I ate or drank tasted bitter, very bitter. So bitter I didn’t want to eat. I googled my symptoms and discovered Pine Mouth. Like others who have had this weird problem, I too had eaten pine nuts (in pesto) a few days prior to getting my symptoms. My husband also ate the pesto but without any problems. It apparently doesn’t affect everyone. The FDA is still trying to determine what the exact cause of Pine Mouth syndrome is. Needless to say, I have given up eating pine nuts. Some say that pine nuts from China are the culprits and that buying pine nuts that originate from the Mediterranean won’t cause such a terrible reaction. Hmmmm. I’m still not convinced enough to eat them again.
Many pesto recipes suggest walnuts as an alternative to pine nuts (which can be expensive). I tried this once, however my pesto turned out to be a drab green-brown color. Now, due to my aversion to pine nuts, macadamia nuts are my choice for pesto. They are light-colored like pine nuts and don’t have the annoying skin of a walnut. They can be pricy like pine nuts though you really need just a small amount for each recipe and you can store the rest in the refrigerator for other baking recipes. The package above is from Costco and was very reasonably priced.
Rinse the basil leaves gently and leave out to dry for a short time.
Use good cheese. Real Parmigiano Reggiano and Pecorino Romano and grate them yourself.
Pesto
Serves 6
Adapted from Nancy Harmon Jenkins The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook
Ingredients
4 ounces fresh basil leaves
1/3 heaping cup macadamia nuts
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 medium garlic cloves, crushed and finely minced
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (or a combination with Pecorino Romano)
Preparation
Remove basil leaves from stems and gently rinse. Set aside on a kitchen towel to dry for a short time.
Put half of the basil, all of the macadamia nuts and salt in a food processor. Pulse a few times. Scrape down the sides and add the rest of the basil and pulse a few more times. Add the oil in a thin stream and process until the consistency is that of a slightly grainy paste but not a fine puree. Add the garlic and process briefly, just to mix the garlic into the sauce. If the pesto seems too thick, add a bit more olive oil. Transfer the pesto to a bowl and fold in the grated cheese.
I like to serve the pesto on thin capellini noodles with a bit of extra grated cheese sprinkled on top. Sometimes I use spaghetti and add steamed, finely chopped broccoli florets to it or I’ll make a pasta salad with pesto, cherry tomatoes and baby spinach. For a change, use pesto on your pizza instead of tomato sauce (top with sliced tomatoes, artichoke hearts and mozzarella).
Pesto can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days. Pour a very thin film of oil over the top of the pesto and cover the bowl. You can also freeze pesto in small containers for a few months.